To Know, To Will, To Dare or Keep Silent?
by Ravyn Skye
Summary: COMPLETE! He knows that a child's hero-worship isn't a woman's romantic love. She knows that he will never love her 'like that'. Can traveling together again change what they 'know? Sess/teen!Rin, post-canon. Bonus if you 'get' the title. RATING NOW 'M'
1. To Know

Disclaimer: I don't own Sess and Rin

A/N: This was originally a flashback part to the next chapter in Bound For Tomorrow, but I re-read that chapter at the last minute before publishing and just wasn't happy with it, but I didn't want to waste this little scene. Considering how it ends, this might end up being a short 2-3chapter fic.

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He watched from the tree line as she sat drawing.

Her hands were dark with charcoal and the paper she used was not in a scroll but as brilliantly white as his own kimono. He knew this paper to be a gift from the miko, though where exactly it was she acquired such things was not part of his knowledge.

He knew she liked to draw flowers, and animals, and the people of the village, the children especially. The girl had talent, and it had surprised him to see her drawings, as it let him know exactly how poor human sight was. When he saw her drawings though, he could appreciate a flower's 'beauty' in a different way, when it was softened, muddled and the edges not so sharp.

He could see through Rin's eyes when she drew.

This time however, Rin did not look up from her drawing to study anything in particular in the surrounding landscape, and a faint blush had spread it's self permanently across her cheeks as she sighed occasionally.

He moved from the tree line then, intent on visiting as usual, and seeing Rin's latest masterpiece.

"Rin."

A startled Rin looked up and quickly covered her paper. Unusual… most of the time she could not wait to show him her drawings.

The few other drawings she had with her were not covered before he could see them though and he saw one of the monk and his slayer locked in a passionate embrace, another similar one of his brother and his miko, kissing deeply, and then there was the one Rin was holding. He reached for it, and Rin blushed, but did not protest when he brought it up to his face for inspection.

It was him. A side view of him, leaning far down and kissing a dark haired woman whose face was obscured by the angle of the kiss, although her hair was pinned up so that he could see the stripes that adorned her cheeks and the pointed ears she sported. Her kimono was one he had never seen before either, very simple in pattern, although there were sakura blossoms patterned over it, and crescent moons in the same pattern as on his shoulder on hers. A demoness, obviously, but one who was much smaller in build than he. He had never seen a demoness who looked like the one in Rin's drawing and wondered who it could be?

"Who is she?" he asked casually.

Rin blushed again… she would not tell him that it was her, as she envisioned herself if she were fit to be with her lord. If she were not so utterly, unchangeably _human_.

"She does not exist my lord, Rin has been drawing all of the couples she knows and you are unmated, so Rin imagined what a female you might mate with might look like… Rin does not know if all Inuyoukai have the same coloring as you do, however, for the purpose of the picture, the contrast of her darker features for your lighter ones were more pleasing to the eye. Is Sesshomaru-sama angry?"

"No." He was not angry, merely… _unsettled._ The picture in hand was a _pleasant_ one, although… something about it seemed to feel…_wrong. _

_It should be her in this drawing._

He caught himself before he could let his troubling thoughts, his loneliness, and his longing for her, be reflected in his eyes. She could always read him so well…

_She is human… She is my… responsibility. _

_She will never see me as anything more than the stoic and cold youkai who abandoned her to strangers, and whose feeble attempts to assuage his guilt include gifting her with the occasion article of clothing._

_She deserves more than me… She deserves a man who is able to express feelings of love as openly as she… not the icy touch and distant silence of a man rendered mute by pride._

_As much as she adores me… She will never see me as a woman sees a man. _

_Hero-worship is not romantic love._

"It is acceptable. Inuyoukai come in many varieties, this pattern of coloring and markings is within the realm of possibility."

"Would Sesshomaru-sama like to keep it? Rin is finished with it now."

He nodded and took a clean sheet of paper placed it over the drawing and tucked it away in his kimono sleeve.

"And who does Rin draw herself with?" he asked. He had been wondering for some time now when he would get the news that Rin was to be married off to some human boy… some wretched, lowly, weak human boy who was in no way worthy of her. He could not help the sharpness to his tone when he'd asked the question, and was inexplicably pleased when Rin looked up surprised at his question.

Rin shook her head, "Rin will not be married, Sesshomaru-sama."

Puzzlement painted itself across his features for less than a second, before he asked, "Why is that?"

_Because no human can compare to you. Because I've dreamed of being yours since I was a child, and the thought of any other man touching me makes me ill. Because my heart will always and only belong to you. Because I'm in love with you, even if you'll never feel the same way…_

"Because human men are cowards, my Lord." Rin laughed when he smirked slightly at her response, "As soon as Rin tells them that they must seek the permission of a demon lord for her hand, they no longer wish to pursue me… not that Rin would wish for such a thing anyway…" Rin stopped herself before she could say too much.

"I see." There was an odd satisfaction in her words, even if it _was_ a selfish thing to wish her to be alone. The thought of anyone else touching her…

For the briefest of moments Sesshomaru's eyes bled to red, and he turned his head so that Rin would not notice the rise in his youkai and become frightened. Just as quickly, he regained control.

"I must take my leave now, Rin." For some reason he could not fathom he was suddenly very eager to make his exit.

Rin looked down and brushed the charcoal off of her hands as quickly as she could before rising to face him. With a bow she bid him farewell.

Before he could make his retreat she called to him. He stopped and turned his upper body as far around as his armor would allow, "Yes, Rin?"

"Thank you for visiting, my Lord… Rin is always very happy to see you."

He nodded and responded, "This Sesshomaru will come to collect you before the end of the lunar cycle. Be prepared for travel."

"Travel, my Lord?"

Without answering he turned and made his way back to where Jaken and Ah-Un were waiting for him.

_Travel? Why did I say that?_

Just as much as he wished to get away from her now… he also longed to spend more than a few hours with her… If only temporarily he wanted her back under his care. Perhaps, if things went well, and considering he now knew that she did not intend to bind herself to any of the mortal men in the village…

_Perhaps the time to offer her the choice is near…_


	2. To Will

Disclaimer: I do not own Sesshoumaru or Rin, or Inuyasha

A/N: Chapter 2 of 4

To Will

The end of the lunar cycle was in only six days time, and for Rin – waiting for Sesshoumaru to come and collect her for travel – those six days felt like six lifetimes.

She said nothing to anyone, merely packed a few more of her things each night and waited for the time to pass by trying to keep busy. Kaede mentioned that Rin's productivity that week was astounding, and wondered what had gotten into the girl to motivate her so?

By mid-morning on the day of the new moon, Rin was no longer able to keep herself distracted with work and instead spent her entire time in the herb garden staring out at the treeline and willing Sesshoumaru-sama to come for her.

By mid-afternoon, she was beginning to wonder if he was coming at all…? Did he change his mind? Was he in trouble? Had there been a battle or pressing political matter he must attend to?

Rin always worried for him when he was gone from her. She knew he would see it as betrayal; he would see it as a lack of her faith in his power and ability to take care of himself, but she couldn't help it.

When dinner time rolled around, Rin had convinced herself he was not coming, and didn't feel very much like eating. Depressed and disappointed, she made her way out of the hut full of well-meaning _people_ asking her 'what's wrong, Rin?' when she didn't really have the heart to admit the embarrassment that Sesshoumaru-sama had stood her up.

They wouldn't understand anyway, and if she said anything Inuyasha would just likely make some comment like 'Well, what do you expect from that arrogant bastard? He doesn't care about anyone else's feelings. He probably forgot.' As if Sesshoumaru forgetting her would somehow make her feel _better._ As much as she liked Inuyasha, he was rather good at sticking his foot in his mouth where womens' feelings were concerned.

Kaede would likely explain youkai were wild creatures, who roamed the forests on their own will, free of human obligation, and Kagome would almost certainly try to convince Rin that 'maybe you should spend your evening with –' fill in the name of any random village boy. Rin rolled her eyes.

Kagome was nice, but Rin was getting very, _very _tired of her trying to make a love connection for her. Ever since she'd decided to take credit for Sango and Miroku getting together, Kagome was convinced she was a matchmaker of sorts.

Rin didn't have any interest in that sort of thing, she'd try to explain, but Kagome wouldn't listen, and Rin would instead feel more and more isolated as Kagome prattled on about village happenings and 'opportunities' for Rin to 'be more social!'

Rin didn't want to be 'social'; she didn't feel she belonged here.

She never had completely adjusted or trusted humans ever again, and the last thing Rin wanted was to go to a gathering and end up surrounded by a group of the village's young men, drunk and leering and reaching hands toward her. The last time that happened one had joked she'd 'stolen the last fish!' from the communal potluck table and she'd had a flashback to when she was beaten for stealing a fish and… It had not ended well. In fact, it had been rather embarrassing the way she'd panicked and run off to the forest to be alone.

The forest was safe here… The youkai didn't come to this place; to do that would be a death sentence with Inuyasha and Miroku around. The village with all those _people_… The village did not feel safe.

Not that many of the villagers had done much to make the village feel like _home _to her over the years, anyway. She was 'that demon's girl' and they whispered to each other to keep their distance. Who knew what she might _do_. Maybe lure them away to be food for her hungry inugami… You did have to feed those dog-spirits to keep them from turning on you and the very fact that Rin herself had not been killed or devoured by 'her dog youkai' was evidence she must be doing or have done nefarious things to have survived, and go on surviving in his company.

When one of them had seen her enter the woods with him in one kimono, and exit the woods alone later in brand new, extremely fine silk kimono… Well, Rin would not even dare to repeat the things they'd conjectured had _earned _her that kimono.

Rin sighed, at least the very few marriage proposals she'd garnered in the past had come to a complete stop after that little… incident.

Truth be told, there had certainly been nothing _unseemly_ about the exchange of kimono. The routine was followed as always: Sesshoumaru presenting her with the kimono and turning his back while she scampered behind a large a tree and tested the fit (making certain it was not too short in the sleeves or length, and was not too tight around the middle and folded across properly to cover her) before coming out in the new garment and visiting for roughly an hour before he nodded his regards and they parted ways.

_Humans… Always jumping to perverted conclusions… _

Rin had taken her traveling satchel with her when she'd exited the hut, ignoring the questions regarding the bundle and now as she looked around the early evening forest, then back in the direction of the village, then down at her pack, Rin made up her mind.

If he came or not, she could not take it here anymore. Her training in healing and midwifery was long finished and there was nothing that tied her here. She was leaving.

"I guess I'll just leave by _myself_." She pouted out loud.

"That would be most unwise, Rin." The smooth baritone of her lord's voice directly behind her so surprised and startled Rin that she let out a shriek and nearly jumped out of her skin in response.

Very quickly, Rin regrouped and turned around, unable to hide the absolute _delight_ she felt in seeing him. "My Lord! You came!" So giddy was Rin, that she actually jumped forward to hug him, much as she always had as a child.

It was not until she felt his warm body against hers, instead of the usual cold and distance-keeping armor that she realized he… wasn't wearing it.

The absence of the armor to keep them physically apart, despite her embrace made this 'hug' very… _inappropriate._ She should not be doing this. He would most certainly be angry she'd invaded his personal space.

_Damnit Rin, you aren't a little girl anymore! You can't just go jumping on grown… a grown male. How unladylike!_

He just stood there, solid and un-reacting… Stoic and silent as always and his lack of response was obviously a clear indication of his rejection and annoyance.

Rin jumped back with a horrified look and a deep blush staining her cheeks, and stammered out "I… Rin is so sorry! Rin didn't realize… Sesshoumaru-sama's armor… You're not… Oh gods, I am _so_ sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

But the brief moment of contact… Her breasts pressing into his warm, firm body and her head landing solely at his solarplexus (he _was_ still very much taller than her, and he always would be) and this side of her face pressed against him… Even if it had been stolen intimacy, it was a memory of a feeling she would secretly cherish.

Sesshoumaru felt like a complete and utter _fool_. He'd absolutely _frozen_ in place when Rin had wrapped her arms around him. For the first time he'd felt those soft curves he'd been so… _preoccupied_… with as of late, and he hadn't even… He hadn't even been able to get passed his shock and return the embrace.

He'd squandered the single opportunity he might have had to secretly indulge in… _Rin._

No doubt the embrace was a throwback to childhood, and she'd felt none of the stirrings that he so very ashamedly had… Her scent was filled with nothing but apprehension and embarrassment, after all. It was actually kind of… _cute._

Rin was… _cute._

He couldn't deny he'd always found her to be somewhat… _charming_, even as a young girl. Now that her more _feminine _charms had developed, it still didn't change the fact that Rin was just simply altogether _adorable_.

Easy to love… Easy to fall in love with… Easy to give up a sword for, easy to give up a life long quest for power for...

It had been _easy_… all to frighteningly _easy _to follow her little corpse to the pits of hell even when he'd thought he was giving up _his own life_, and it was now even more easy to give up a lifetime of idiotic and bitterness fueled prejudice for her.

_Nothing could ever be worth the cost of Rin's life._

Nothing could ever _compare _in worth to… Rin.

Not sword, nor wealth, nor title, nor bloodline… _Nothing _was worth more to him than the girl.

He placed a hand on her head, sliding it down to follow the curve of her face and tilt her chin upward, encouraging her to meet his soft gaze. "Rin." He spoke low and slow, letting her name roll off his tongue, "come." all the 'forgiveness' for her 'transgression' expressed without the need for words between them.

Heat flared to Rin's cheeks for another reason now, and she hoped Sesshoumaru-sama would not notice the slight catch to her breath as she answered "Yes, My Lord."

_This was bad. _As much as Rin wanted to be near Sesshoumaru-sama… There was no way he wouldn't notice something was… _wrong_ with her reactions toward him.

If he ever found out how she felt about him, Rin was certain she'd either die of shame, or he'd kill her for daring to entertain such foolish notions.

She was going to have to be extra careful.

_Will _her heart not to race, he scent not to change, and breath not catch.

Sesshoumaru was not a stupid man, nor was he a blind man. The sudden rush of blood to Rin's face was not lost on him, and the way her heart had skipped a full beat when he'd spoken her name did not go unnoticed. There was _something_ there. Something she probably didn't fully realize, but… it gave him _hope._

Was it even possible that Rin could ever see him as… a potential candidate for mating?

Could he… _change _her perception of him? Could he force her to see him not merely as her Lord, but as male?

Sesshoumaru was used to getting what he wanted. More often than not, his almighty will could be imposed on even the strongest of creatures… But… Did he have what it took to get what he wanted from the weakest?

Did he even _know _how to deal with another without imposing upon them, but instead… seducing them to his side without a show of force?

He didn't know… But he did know, he was damned sure going to try.


	3. To Dare

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Sesshoumaru or Rin, or any character from InuYasha.

A/N: 3 of 4 - Next chapter is a lemon!

Truth be told, Sesshoumaru had no idea how to put action to his plan of changing Rin's view of him. His mere existence and presence was usually _more_ than enough to inspire lust and romantic notions from the females and those males who preferred males he came into contact with.

Hell, even _Jaken_ harbored obvious lustful inclinations toward him, and he never did anything to acknowledge the little imp beyond letting him carry his things and beating him on occasion.

So… What to do?

Well, one thing was for sure; walking ahead in silence while Rin remained several steps behind also saying nothing was not going to accomplish the task.

He slowed his pace, and annoyingly, Rin adjusted hers to remain behind him. He was going to have to be a bit more _obvious_. Sesshoumaru came to a complete halt, and called to his traveling companion, "Walk with me, Rin."

At the sound of his voice, Rin was pulled away from staring longingly… The sway of his silver hair as he walked along with that perfectly consistent gait was hypnotizing. How had she never noticed that when she'd traveled with him those few years ago?

Sesshoumaru slid his glance over his shoulder, while Rin stared rather stupidly, trying to comprehend his meaning… Wasn't she _already _walking with him?

"Rin." He commanded more sharply, and suddenly she understood. He wanted her to be walking at his _side._ Well, that made sense, she reasoned. It was quickly becoming dark and with no moon to light the way he could most certainly keep a better eye on her if she was not bringing up the rear.

"Ah… Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin chirped with false gaiety as she shuffled quickly toward his position, her tighter kimono making her leg movements awkward, "Coming Sesshoumaru-sama!"

He'd never thought the sound of his own name with such a respectful honorific used in conjunction could ever annoy him so much. _Can't you just call me Sesshoumaru-san? Sesshoumaru-kun? Even just… Sesshoumaru? _

Considering that Rin was, unquestioningly the _closest _person in the _world_ to him, the –sama she addressed him with was almost… _depressing._

He truly had no… "friends". Rin was the closest he had to a friend and even she had placed herself at a distance as she'd grown older. There had been no such tension or awkwardness when she'd been a child.

She had never stood on formality with him when they had traveled together before. Rin had quite naturally claimed a place at his side when he walked, or even skipped headlong in front of him, picking her flowers and dancing her dances, occasionally pestering Jaken into games.

She would call to him and scamper around him, carefree and happy without any consideration for his station. She was the only one who treated him as though he were a real, actual _person_ instead of holding him on a pedestal and imposing impossible-to-live-up expectations on him.

_When had that changed?_

Her 'hug' earlier… She'd been so… Uncomfortable. He would refuse to use the word 'fearful', even in his own mind, but in the pit of his stomach he knew the truth.

In that moment, she'd been just a little… _afraid_… of him.

In childhood she'd slept _on his lap_ each night he was at camp – often _without_ his armor; and now she was _afraid_ to even _hug _him.

_**Why**__ had this changed?_

Rin arrived at his side, looking up at him with concern. He seemed… _troubled _by something. Had she _already_ displeased him somehow? Was it her hesitation in coming to him when he'd called for her? Was he still angry about her hugging him?

"I'm sorry." Apologizing felt natural, even if she wasn't entirely sure what she was apologizing for. Unfortunately, her apology seemed to have the opposite effect Rin desired and instead his brow furrowed even more deeply.

His golden eyes focused sharply on her, and he asked a question Rin didn't know exactly how to answer.

"What is it that now makes you uncomfortable about being in the presence of This Sesshoumaru?"

Rin's eyes went wide, and again she found herself stammering, "Rin… Rin is not… Rin is fine! Rin is not uncomfortable!" She desperately tried to reassure him… But… Why on earth did he even _care_?

"You are _lying_." He said smoothly.

Rin hung her head in contrition, feeling incredibly stupid for forgetting he could _scent_ dishonesty. "I'm… Sorry." Her hands started to sweat as she rung them out in front of her. Her first visit with him was not exactly off to a great start… Rin fought the urge to bolt and run right back to that horrid village, if only to stop herself from displeasing him any more. _He probably never wants to see me again… That's what this is… He's going to say that if he makes me so uncomfortable, then mabe it's best he just stay away. I'll never see him again and then I'll really, finally be totally and completely alone… again._

Rin's panicked thoughts were racing around in her head, each more awful than the last.

Sesshoumaru stared down and the girl in front of him. She was now… had become… a very familiar _stranger_… A stranger whose every muscle was tense and whose weight rested on the balls of their feet and whose hip was almost imperceptibly cocked while the knee of the same side was slightly bent…

She was going to run.

_Run_ from _him._

For so long he had been the one that she ran _to _in times of trouble and now, foolish and hopeless as it was, her body language spoke of her clear desire to get away _from_ him.

_Unacceptable._

_This will never work… I won't have her apologizing every few moments throughout this entire trip, and Rin will most certainly __**not ever **__run from me._

_This awkwardness ends__**, now.**_

He quickly surveyed their surroundings, seeing a very large tree only twenty strides away and made up his mind.

A bright flash of light, the ground falling away and her stomach dropping… That's all Rin felt for several moments before she registered the warmth of two arms – one beneath her knees and the other wrapped around her shoulder blades – holding her against a warm chest.

Almost as quickly as she registered the feeling though, it was gone and Rin found herself surrounded by a sea of green foliage. Her head swam at the sudden change, and her first instinct was to jump in shock, but the second her body flinched she felt herself restrained once again by two arms. "Do not fall."

Only then did Rin realize she was one, in Sesshoumaru's _lap_ and two, they were both precariously pearched on a large tree branch, very high off the ground.

With little other choice, Rin flung herself against him and held on for dear life. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

He smirked at his obvious genius. "There is nowhere to _run_, Rin."

"What did you… ? No, never mind… _Why did Sesshoumaru-sama put us in a tree?_" Her ire was clear, and for once she was not cowering, apologizing, or acting like he might rip her head off at any moment… This was… _progress_…

Sesshoumaru congratulated himself once again. This was _obviously_ the very best way to go about things… _Obviously._

"It is clear you are no longer completely at ease with this Sesshoumaru. You will state your fears, and this Sesshoumaru will either confirm their validity, or offer reassurances. Now, you will speak, Rin."

"What ?!? Get us down!"

"No." He frowned.

"Look, its fine_… We're_ fine… Just… put me down, please!"

She was so flustered, that he couldn't help but to inwardly laugh at her. As if he would ever allow her to _fall_... Silly girl.

Outwardly, he kept a stoic face and took a deep sigh, "Rin." His arms tightened around her waist, offering at least some reassurance of her safety from the physical danger of falling. He pushed her head against his chest and waited… If she ran true to form, she would calm in a moment. Her nightmares as a child gave him valuable experience in this arena.

Sure enough, her breathing quieted, but as she slowly took stock of her position and his, the telltale heat was creeping up her cheeks and she was glad her face was hidden, though she was certain he could hear her heartbeat in her chest. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He raised an eyebrow, not quite sure of her meaning, "Holding you?"

"Embarrassing me." Rin clarified.

"I have held you many times like this before." Sesshoumaru stated logically.

"But that was… Different." Rin sighed. _Gods in the heavens he just __**had **__to be so damn __**logical **__all the time, didn't he?_

"How so?" Sesshoumaru could feel himself react to the warm weight in his lap, her scent… So close.

"I was… little then." Rin blushed even harder, "I'm… Not a little girl anymore."

"This Sesshoumaru is… _aware_." His own breathing was increasing, and he shifted himself slightly beneath her, both accommodating his semi-turgid state and concealing it from the young woman in his arms.

"Sesshoumaru-sama… _please_… I… you'll hate me. You'll… _you'll leave._" She bit back the tears she could feel thickening her throat, and finally pulled her head out of his chest to look at him.

He made a show of looking around, "There is nowhere for this Sesshoumaru to _go_."

Rin caught the sour laugh in her throat, and sagged against him once more, settling deep in the folds of his hakama, "You'll still hate me." Unconsciously, Rin's fingers snuck between the fold of his kimono's neckline, and when she felt the heat of bare flesh against her fingertips, she recoiled, her fingers curling and her fingernails scraping lightly across his firm pectoral.

He growled, deep in his chest… Trying desperately not to thrust up against her or shiver when he felt her nails drag over his flesh, "Try me." His hand slid from her shoulders down to the small of her back, and under the excess material of the tie of her obi so he could stroke lightly up and down her spine with the very tips of his non-clawed fingers.

He was rewarded with a full shudder, and a nearly imperceptible purring noise escaping from between the pursed lips of the girl in his lap.

The scent slowly filling the air around him could _not _be mistaken. He moved his hand up her back, slowly making his way to her neck and massaging the tense muscles he found there slowly. "_Rrrriiinnn…"_

He caught her head cradled in his large palm, threading his fingers in her hair when she tilted her chin up and back to look at him with large, troubled eyes.

The look of shock on his face was clear to her, who could read him so well. There was no doubt in her mind he understood now, "You… Sesshoumaru-sama is disgusted, isn't he? He thinks Rin is stupid…"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes with a triumphant and altogether _wicked_, predatory smirk.

Masculine smugness filled him, "You _want_ me."

It was not a question.

In the bushes below:

Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango had all gone looking for Rin when she didn't return at dusk and now the entire group stood staring up at the large tree, where they could just make out the sight of Sesshoumaru and Rin kissing deeply while hands flew in all directions.

"What are they saying?" Kagome whispered.

"How the hell should I know? I'm _human _tonight!" Inuyasha replied.

"Told you, so." Miroku piped up, "Not even half a mile…"

"I _knew_ it!" Sango agreed. :"Dog demons only get so protective over _mates_… I _knew_ he'd try something once she got older!"

"Keh, she ain't complaining." Inuyasha pointed out.


	4. To Keep Silent?

I don't own Sesshoumaru, Rin, or the inutachi.

A/N: This is the last official 'chapter', however I'm sure there will be an epilogue some time down the line. I have FOUR updates planned this month, sooo… We'll get BFT, then Beautiful, then RWAT and hopefully the last chapter to the ARC series. I'd LIKE to do another Right When She Belongs, and a finishing chapter to Something different. I've been marathon-writing. I'm trying to finish up my Sess/Rin stories that I have out there, because I have TWO more big ones planned that I REFUSE to even begin to publish when I have this many open stories. (I also want to edit The Lolicon Collection and post it up here again, with the stories individually, and her age just XX's, however… considering how little response it's gotten on mediaminer, even when I linked it in my profile, I'm assuming it's not really worth it. *shrug*)

Sesshoumaru heard the whispering below, and disengaged himself from the young woman he'd so very thoroughly wrapped himself around.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin whispered, wondering why he had stopped so suddenly? She'd been quite enjoying his… _attentions_.

"We have an audience." He growled in response, and Rin's eyes widened and her face went beet-red. Surely this was to be a… _private_ moment. In fact, Rin was rather certain this was to be a _secret_ relationship. Surely Sesshoumaru-sama would not wish for anyone to know that he was… _intimate_ with a human?

"Oh gods…" Rin's eyes took on a fearful look. She didn't want anyone or anything coming inbetween them, and she didn't want the chance of discovery to make him change his mind. "You have to kill them." Rin was resolute in the assertion.

While ordinarily Rin would have abhorred the idea of killing, she'd forgiven Sesshoumaru for killing for far lesser reasons than them spying on him. Also, she needed Sesshoumaru to know that she was willing to do anything, willing to let _him _do _anything_… if only it meant they would be together.

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow at her, but chose to remain mute on the subject. It was clearly his brother and his mate and friends, so he doubted killing would be necessary… although a lesson in respecting others' privacy was most certainly in order.

"Hold on to me." He ordered, and in a flash they were down on the ground, and Sesshoumaru was standing menacingly over the group hidden in bushes. His hand was on his sword and an ominous shadow fell over the top half of his face, hiding his eyes in the darkness.

"Explain yourself, _hanyou_." Sesshoumaru took in the dark hair and eyes, as well as the change in scent and aura, "Or should this Sesshoumaru say… _human_."

The group collectively feel backwards and scattered like roaches under the weight of Sesshoumaru's angry gaze.

"Hey, watch what you're saying, Sesshoumaru!" Kagome called out, "Or is your memory so short that you don't remember who you were just kissing?"

The taiyoukai watched as the human miko's eyes traveled back, obviously looking at Rin who was standing several paces behind him. "That is none of your concern."

He turned on his heel and made his way to Rin, keeping a blank face he strode past her and started walking off in the opposite direction of Inuyasha and his friends. When he realized Rin had yet to follow, he called back to her, "Rin, come."

Rin glanced between Sesshoumaru and her friends from the village.

"We'll see what you have to say when you have a hanyou brat of your own, you arrogant asshole!" Inuyasha called after his older brother, who steadfastly ignored him.

Rin gulped. She… hadn't thought of that. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" she whispered, suddenly much less sure of things.

"Do not make me repeat myself, Rin… You are old enough now that this Sesshoumaru is certain he could find a suitable…" he smirked, though Rin could not see his face, "_punishment_ for you."

Rin's heart skipped a beat, "P-p-punishment?" Was he serious? He'd never _once_ punished her as a child, no matter how much she most likely deserved punishment for some of her actions. Her misbehavior had always been ignored with casual disregard, not even a hint of disapproval for her antics had been made known.

Sesshoumaru softened his voice and his eyes, looking over his shoulder to the fearful face of Rin, and offering reassurance in the best way he knew how, "Rin," he held out a hand to her, "come."

Rin looked down at his hand, then back up to his amused eyes, and let out the breath she'd been holding; so he _wasn't _serious. Rin nodded and took the hand offered, interlacing her fingers with his.

She walked at his side, trying desperately to kill the doubts that were now taking root in her mind. _Hanyou… hanyou… __**hanyou**_.

The word… The _insult_ he'd thrown Inuyasha's way, without even thinking… then using _human _as an insult.

What did he think about her, and her humanity?

Rin had very conveniently chosen to forget her humanity and his being youkai the moment he'd kissed her, but now…

The human villagers, and how they'd whispered of her being his human whore… how she'd so vehemently denied it… Would they make a liar out of her? Would that be her new role?

She'd always told herself she didn't care; she would take what she could get from him and not feel regret, or shame, or sadness… but now…

Rin felt herself pass through a barrier, and where there had been nothing but field before there was now a dwelling. He'd led her to a small house, with his emblem etched on the doorway. It was one of the places he used when en-route to visit her, and she'd been here once before, many years ago when they'd gone to get her sized for new kimono. The place was empty and she wondered where Jaken and Ahun might be?

He removed his black boots, and she her tabi and both placed them in the genkan.

She walked inside after him, and saw his armor resting on a stand. He removed his swords and placed them on a stand mounted to the wall, before turning to face her once more. The moment was briefly awkward and the tension was palpable for them both.

He leaned far forward and rested his forehead against hers, his hand traveling to tilt her face up to his as he breathed her name against her lips. The moment was so sweet, tender, and intimate that Rin promptly decided to remain silent with regards to her doubts.

She may come to regret this later, or perhaps it would be he who felt remorse, but right now, Rin wanted this moment with every fiber of her being. Even if for only one night, she wanted him to be… _hers_.

The morning could wait, the rest of her life could wait, and the consequences could be damned… She wanted to make love to her Lord.

She wanted him to _want _her, and if the warm hardness brushing against her belly was any indication, he certainly wanted her, for now at least.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Rin responded dazedly, and craned her neck up to brush her lips against his. If a whore she was to be, then she might as well be wanton as one… willing as one, and brazen as one. Her future was resting in his hands, but her fate was in her own, and she accepted it. "Take me."

Sesshoumaru groaned, loving how Rin was so very… _forward._ Demon mating was a battle for dominance with the female resisting the male with all her strength until the bitter end, when she _gave in_.

Something he personally found to be utterly repulsive, which was why he'd never… mated before. The concept of having to _force_ himself on a female… it made him sick to his stomach. He was powerful, and did not hesitate to use that power to any advantage he could, but he could never bring himself to use it get… sex.

His cock was _not_ a weapon and mating should not be a _threat_ one made against a female opponent. She should want him inside her, want his pleasure and his touch, and should want to reciprocate.

Sex was for pleasure, and unless his partner was enjoying each and every moment of it, he wanted no part of it. Any male could shove it in to any female weaker than him; only a real man could make her _want _it, make her _enjoy_ it; make her come crawling back for more of his mating.

He should be desired… And Rin's scent, her words, he kiss… all spoke of _sincere _desire to mate with him.

"Yes…" He breathed, hoisting her up and carrying her behind the privacy screen to his futon. He had not been here in quite some time and hoped the sheets were still fresh smelling. He was quite glad however, that he'd had this place constructed when he realized how often he'd be traveling along this route to visit with Rin in the village, and after he'd realized that Rin could not withstand the harsh winter climate and he decided to take her to be sized for heavy winter fur-lined kimono, he'd wished to grant her shelter during the nighttime cold.

Who knew that it would be the place where he would also take her as his… _lover? _No, she deserved more official status than that… _Concubine?_ Perhaps…? It was a high-ranking position, and would be an honor for even lower demon nobility to be called as such by he… but truly, in his heart he wanted to call her as… _mate._

That was a decision he could not make for her. Her life would be hard, being the mate of a youkai, and it was possible she might reject the offer anyway. For now, he kept silent on the matter, focusing instead on the moment and on Rin.

With her in his arms, he knelt down then fell backwards on his rear end, seating himself cross-legged with her astride; her kimono split and bunched up at her hips showing off her long, pale, and well-toned legs.

The pair easily picked up where they'd left off in the tree, and his hands moved all over her body, claws down the back of neck causing full-body tremors and her hands coming to cup his jaw line; his earlobes trapped between her thumb an middle finger, as she gently massaged them.

His chest rumbled in response, and he thrust himself up against her, moving to slide his palms up the back of her thighs, gliding under her kimono and filling his palms with her nicely rounded rear end. He squeezed her butt, rocked her against him and pushed her down on his erection, loving the warm weight of her pressing him down between her body and his.

His face found the crook of her neck and his lips and fangs traveled along her neck, his tongue reaching out to catch the salt of her sweat. "Undress me." He mumbled, pulling his hands away from her buttocks so she could back away slightly and move to the ties of his hakama.

"Okay," Rin replied and without hesitation her nimble fingers found the tie at his waist and loosened it. She raised up on her knees, and he arched, lifting his buttocks so she could pull the hakama down to his mid-thighs, where he took over, straightened his legs and shoved them past where she sat on him, getting them to his knees and kicking out of them carefully.

He reached behind and tugged his obi knot, letting it loose while Rin pulled from the front and unwrapped it totally, before flinging it aside. Her fingers found his outer layer and he shimmied his arms out of the sleeves and let it fall naturally to the futon. The action was repeated with both the tie at his ribs and the second tie at his waist for his under layer, and soon only his fundoshi was left.

Rin moved to untie that as well, but he stopped her hands by grabbing her wrists. "Not yet." Rin blushed and nodded, and allowed him to guide her hands to his shoulders instead. "Just touch me."

Rin smiled softly, averting her eyes, because she wasn't quite sure what he meant… "Uh… Where?" She desperately wanted to please him, but she wasn't quite sure how to go about it, or what men… or demons… _liked_?

Sesshoumaru threaded his fingers through the hair at the back of her head, and guided her face down toward his neck, "Everywhere." He grunted when he felt her hands smooth down his pectorals, and her fingers brush his nipples causing them to go hard under the touch.

At the same time, he forced his mind to _focus_ and blindly searched for the tie of her obi at her lower-back, and tugged it free. He was trying to unwind it when the whispered command made its way to his ear, "Just shred it."

Her eagerness… oh gods… "Rin!" He panted out harshly, hoping she knew what exactly she was doing to him. She was pushing him, too hard, and too fast… He had to maintain control. "I don't… wish to harm…"

"Shred it." She repeated, more harshly this time, and in a blink he had the torn silk on the floor in a heap.

Rin pulled back and very quickly tore the rest of her clothing from her body. She gripped his hand and a manipulated a single finger, using his claw to slice down the center of her breast-binding, sending her small, firm breasts bouncing slightly with her heaving breaths. She, like most women of her era didn't wear fundoshi, and she was completely naked now.

She made to dive back into his neck, to continue sucking and nipping at his skin, but his hands came up to grip her slender shoulders, and hold her in place above him. "Let me…look at you."

"Oh…" Rin hadn't really _wanted_ him to _look_… hence why she'd been so quick to move back close enough that her body would be pressed to his, and kept safely out of his sight range.

She certainly wasn't… anything special. No large breasts, a flat stomach instead of the slight chubby-ness that noble men preferred in their women, as a sign of being well-fed and fertile. There were very few enticing curves to be had; she was slender up top, though disproportionately larger on the bottom… Her hips were wider than her shoulders, and her thighs were thick and rounded, her backside rounder than most women. Small boobs but a big butt, Kagome-chan had always teased.

What if he found her body… unattractive? Lacking? Not what he'd been hoping for?

Rin blushed again, and lowered her eyes, unable to look at his face, afraid of what she might see there… If she saw displeasure or disappointment, she wasn't sure if she could handle it; her fragile confidence hung in the balance.

Sesshoumaru felt himself twitching and throbbing beneath the restraint of his fundoshi. She was gorgeous… A bit thinner than he would have her, but that could be remedied easily by his taking great care to see that she ate well… or… by getting her pregnant.

_Hanyou indeed… _He smirked at the thought, not giving a _damn_ if his children had those ridiculous looking dog ears. He wanted her round and full, carrying his offspring.

He allowed himself a few more heartbeats to simply take her in, before his hands slid down from her shoulders and over the tops of her upward-tilting breasts. He cradled them in curve between his thumb and forefinger, pushing them up and together, giving her more cleavage and admiring the effect. He rolled his wrists and let his thumbs graze her nipples, brushing over them and watching with hooded eyes as they responded to the stimulation and quickly became rosy-buds. Very carefully, he added his forefinger to the play, and pinched gently, pulling softly and watching her whole breasts bounce when he released.

A quick glance up to her face revealed Rin biting her lower lip, and squeezing her eyes shut as her head lolled to the side. A quick glance down showed her hips wriggling, he fists clenched, and a slight wetness imprinted on his fundoshi. He could literally _feel _her heat when she squirmed against him, through the layers of cloth binding, and his own reaction was now throbbing and aching _painfully_.

He let out a soft curse under his breath, and pulled her up and away from his arousal, dragging her body up high enough to latch his lips around a single nipple, and suckle like a starving pup. He was instantly rewarded with a surprised gasp, followed by a throaty moan, and a harsh whisper of _his name_… _Without_ an honorific attached.

"Sesshou…maru…" Rin wrapped her arms around his head, cradling him to her chest and thrust forward, wanting _more_… more of this… whatever he was doing. She knew that sex was about a man pushing his penis into her body, but all this _before_ stuff, was entirely new to her.

He released her nipple, and began to make his way to its twin, "Again… Say my name… Again." He grunted between laps at her skin and kisses to her chest. He pulled the other nipple into his mouth and Rin answered him by calling out for him once more, "Sesshoumaru!"

He growled, low and deep and masculine; he couldn't wait any more. He'd wanted to please her longer, taste her wetness on his tongue and give her at least one climax that way before he took her virginity, but he just could not wait… He had to prepare her _now_, or risk hurting her more than was acceptable.

Sesshoumaru used his non-clawed hand and reached down between their bodies, using a knuckle to strum at the tiny little bud peaking out from between her netherlips. He coaxed it softly, relentlessly strumming her hardened nub and felt her head find his shoulder once more and her knees shake while her thigh muscles quivered. She was panting hard, and wetness from her sex flowed freely over his fingers, while she remained rigid; obviously fighting not to move. "Don't hold back."

"Sesshoumaru…" She called out for him again, sounding unsure and hazy.

He shushed her, stroked her hair with one hand and her clit with the other, pressing a kiss to her temple as he sped his motions below the waist and delved deeper between her folds. She was _soaking _wet and slippery now, and he was hoping she was close. He wanted to please her, wanted her begging for more… wanted her to feel as strong a desire for him fill her as he felt to have her wrapped around him in a warm wet stranglehold.

The girl dropped down some, and her hips rocked back and forth against the motions of his knuckle, and he took these as signs of her desire for _harder_ and _faster_. He might be a technical virgin, but he'd been _almost there _once… a long time ago… with a woman who was stolen from him by none-other than his own father. Izayoi should have been… Inuyasha should have been… _his_.

He'd vowed never again to become involved with a human woman. They were fickle, disloyal, _whores_ who only wanted whoever was most powerful and could give them the most. He'd have killed her himself, had he not already given her location away to the human warlord who'd wanted her first. His bitterness against both her and his sire had known no bounds at that point in his young life. He still couldn't find it in heart to _regret _that decision.

But Rin was not fickle… Rin had proven her loyalty again and again and she had chosen him over… _everything _and _everyone_ else, even other _humans_.

Rin was _more_ than worthy…

"Come for me, Rin." His smooth baritone came out sounding choked as he willed her to climax.

"Yes…" She breathed in his ear, before she went completely still, and completely and utterly _silent_. She didn't even _breathe_, but the contractions he felt of her quivering opening, and the gush of fluid from between her legs let him know… she was climaxing.

"Ah!" After a long few moments she cried out, and her hips went wild, bucking against his now open palm, and in the aftershocks, he slipped a finger up inside her. She sagged against him, purring in satisfaction and he swirled the finger inside her, finding it easy now that she was totally relaxed. "Um, that feels good…" Rin moved her hips in circles around his finger, and he added another, scissoring and stretching her gently. Rin moaned and continued to rock against him, not showing the slightest hint of discomfort.

"Are you ready for more?" Sesshoumaru asked, gaining confidence at her continued pleased responses, and hoping this could go by as painlessly as possible.

"Um-hm." She nodded against him, and he added a third finger, feeling slight resistance as she stretched to accommodate the increased girth. He moved more slowly, but Rin bounced more roughly instead. "Don't stop." It wasn't a request, but a demand, and her assertiveness made him even harder. He _had to _be _inside _her, damn it!

"Rin." He called out to her, but she was busy riding his fingers roughly and didn't respond. He tried again, more forcefully, "Rin."

"Huh?" She stopped moving, and looked up him, resembling a cat who had just finished a large bowl of cream… Lazy and sated.

"Are you ready?" Her brow furrowed briefly, and he pointedly looked down at the bulge in his fundoshi, then back up to her face. She had followed his gaze and was… staring at his crotch.

"Ready…?" She repeated stupidly, before a light clicked on, and her eyes snapped back up to his face, "Oh… _ready_…" He nodded, trying very hard not become annoyed with her slow comprehension. Rin moved her hand down and lightly traced the curve of him over his fundoshi cloth, before palming him entirely and giving a squeeze that drove him wild and earned a sharp intake of breath. "Rin is ready… for Sesshoumaru-sama…" Her voice was seductive and rather than take the time to unwind the complicated undergarment, Sesshoumaru merely used his claws and he had done on her obi – shredding the fabric and freeing his erection in a single movement.

"Um…" Rin wasn't exactly sure how to ask this next question but… "Does Sesshoumaru-sama want Rin to move?"

"Move?"

"Onto her hands and knees?"

Sesshoumaru looked up and cocked his head to the side, in puzzlement. What on earth had prompted _that_? Wasn't that a bit… well… he couldn't see her _face_ if they did it like that. It didn't seem a very _intimate_ position to him, especially for a couple's first time together. But maybe… Maybe _she _wanted to do it that way? "No, why? Is that your preference?"

Rin blushed, feeling rather awkward and somewhat silly now. "No, but… Rin thought _you_ might… want… that." She finished lamely.

"Why?" He repeated, in the mean time sliding down the wall and coaxing her to join him so he could lie back and she could be on top. He wanted her _riding _him, for a few reasons. The first of which being he wanted to _see _her, another being that his inexperience left him wanting to make sure she could move how she pleased in order to be pleasured, and the third of which was simply practical: He could not hurt her very easily in this position.

He was much, _much _stronger than her, and plunging into her from behind, or even on top, before he'd gained more experience with a human woman seemed rather foolhardy in his estimation. It was much better if she had control of the speed, the force, the depth of penetration and could pull back from him at any time.

"Well, you're… a… youkai. A _dog _youkai and that's how dogs… you know… I'm sorry."

He would have laughed had she not looked so incredibly _serious_. Still, this was rather evidence she'd given some… _prior thought_ to mating with him. _Deep _thought.

"I suppose you wonder if we shall be joined together afterward, as well?" He smirked as she blushed and refused to answer. He let it go, though he might have to… _tease_ her for the presumption later. Instead he pulled her down to him again, and roughly kissed her while thumbing down his erection and using a hand beneath her buttocks to lift her up on to her knees. "I want you on top," he whispered, breaking the kiss to nibble across her earlobe and capture it between her teeth, "I want you to _ride me_."

Again the catch in her breathing and the way her heart skipped a beat was ample enough reward for Sesshoumaru.

"Oh…Okay." Rin hastily agreed, sitting up again and looking down to his rather _large _looking arousal. _'That's going inside me? Kami-sama… I hope it fits.'_ "Um, I can't… see… too well, so you'll have to help."

Sesshoumaru nodded, and guided her hips with one hand and held his cock up with the other. Rin slid slowly downward, and reached between her legs to open her outer lips and let him slide in as smoothly as possible. "When you're ready, sink down." Sesshoumaru grit his teeth at being _so close_ to being inside her… He could feel that hot, wet, undoubtedly _tight _heat calling to him, and it took all his self-control not merely thrust up into her.

_Let her take you on her own, at her pace… You want her comfortable, relaxed…_

Rin closed her eyes, and let her weight fall, stiffening as she felt his head slip past her first set of muscles, and snapping her eyes up to his face when she heard a tortured sound escape Sesshoumaru's throat. _ Did it hurt him? Did she do it wrong? _

"Sesshoumaru?" she ventured, "Are you okay?"

"Feels…good." He managed to grit out, wanting nothing more than for her to slam down and take it _all_.

Rin smirked, feeling very powerful at that moment, hovered above her lord and controlling the pace of his pleasure. She forced herself to relax, and sunk down a few inches more, gasping at the feeling of being so… _full_, as well as registering the slight pain of his grip on her hips turn to bruising.

His bangs were matted to his forehead, and a dark flush covered his cheeks, his neck, all the way to his ears and down to his collar bones. His veins were pulsing and his markings were slightly jagged. Rin wondered… If he opened his eyes, would they be honey-under-ice gold or would they be blood-red?

Part of her was afraid to find out.

The hardest, and most painful, part was here, and Rin took a few deep breaths before snapping her eyes shut and letting her weight fall down entirely, noting with a hint of mortification that a wet schlup sound was not entirely masked by her keening whine.

The sharp pinch, the slight burn, and the tearing sensation was expected and not altogether as bad as she'd imagined, but it couldn't very well be completely _ignored_.

_Breathe Rin… Just breathe… it will pass. You've been through worse. Hell, you've __**died **__twice before. This is nothing! You can do it!_

She tried to talk herself into moving, but each time she made to rise, the pain would return, so she just sat there on top of him, with him inside her, and slowly tears of frustration (not pain) started to sting the back of her eyes.

_Damn it, Rin… Just __**move!**__You can't get this far and then just… Stop! Gods, he's going to be so annoyed if you don't __**move **__soon! He isn't going to wait forever, you know!_

"My lord." Her fingernails bit into the flesh of his abdominals.

Sesshoumaru finally forced himself back under complete control, and opened his eyes to look up at Rin's – obviously pained – face. His brow furrowed. He'd known that it hurt females, but had obviously underestimated _how much _pain it caused.

He reached a hand up, and stroked her face, while she grabbed his wrist and didn't allow him to pull back, nuzzling into his large palm. He shushed her, "We can stop."

Rin's eyes flew open, and she stared at him with… _determination_ in her eyes. "Don't… Don't say that."

"But…" He didn't like her to be in pain. The sight of it, the smell of it, the very _thought _of it twisted his intestines into knots.

"Rin doesn't want to stop." She gathered her courage, noticing the ache was _finally _subsiding, and lifted herself up on her knees, only to drop back down again, "Please…"

Sesshoumaru growled, feeling her walls clinging to him so tightly… She felt _amazing_ inside. "Rin," He closed his eyes, "Do… as you wish."

Rin smiled, feeling her chest warm with his use of the familiar phrase from her childhood; there was comfort in that, security and subtle promise of certain things remaining the same, even after this.

Rin moved again, forward and back, and rolling her hips while he shuddered beneath her, and she became braver and bolder each time movement didn't cause pain. Rin rocked forward, placing her small hands on his large chest, and moving in earnest now; slowly up and down and back and forth over him, until finally a tilt of her hips and a change of angle sent a shudder through her entire frame.

"Help me…" She whispered, wanting to feel his hands on her hips and him thrusting up into her in time.

"Hai…" He agreed slowly, mind blank with the feeling of being so hotly strangled inside her. His hands found her hips and he bent his knees, placing his feet flat on the futon to give him leverage to thrust upward into her soft center.

He shoved her down and pushed up, and Rin cried out, "Yes, _there_!"

He'd found it, or rather… _she'd _found it… The place inside her that would bring ripples of intense pleasure; all he had to do now was not move enough to _lose _his aim. "Like this?" He smirked, shoving her down again and pushing up, this time a little more sharply.

Rin felt nearly ready to collapse, "Yes… So good… Don't stop… Don't stop… Don't stop." With every thrust she repeated her pleas he continue and he felt her tighten, ripple, and contract around him in response… And by-every-god-and-demon it was _good_.

"Kami-sama… Rin."

"Faster! Please, faster…"

"Rin, I'm going to…"

"Harder, so… close…"

She shuddered, and he felt her walls milking him, and he sorely want to just… _give in… _but…

He was on the verge of climax, ready to erupt… "Rin, I'm going to come." He choked the words out, but his honor demanded he…

A terrified look on her face brought reality slamming into him, "Pull out!"

He slowed his pace, staving off climax just a bit longer, "Why?"

She looked at him as though he'd gone mad, "Ha… hanyou!"

He stopped entirely, ignoring the burning in his loins, "You… would not birth hanyou?"

"I don't want… I don't want you to hate me." Rin quietly confessed, unable to keep silent on the matter any longer. It… had to be said.

Sesshoumaru breathed a sigh of relief, and decided the best thing was to _show _her how much he could _give a damn _about _hanyou_. He was finished being bitter.

With one smooth motion he reached up and gripped her, then rolled them over until he was on top, taking a brief moment to adjust before resuming his plunging, deep and hard inside of her; his climax rapidly approaching once more.

"Sesshoumaru…" Rin whimpered, "please."

"Give me offspring…" He whispered, filling her a few more times before releasing into her, spilling hot, sticky seed as deep as he could, into her waiting depths and making sure to grind harder, pitch deeper, and push deep, until he could feel the mouth of her womb against the tip of his member.


	5. Epilogue: Picture Perfect

A/N: A short epilogue to tie it all up.

Disclaimer: Don't own Sess or Rin.

"Give you _offspring!_ This is all _your fault_! I swear you _cursed us_!"

Her fist went flying into the side of his face and Sesshoumaru accepted the blow without a wince.

"I hate you! You and I are _never_ mating again! I swear if you ever try to touch me that way again I will find a way to kill you, do you hear me?"

Sesshoumaru sincerely wished he could flatten his ears in this form, her yelling and screaming was actually hurting his sensitive hearing.

"Come on, Rin! Save all your breath for the contractions. Focus… Now, when the next one comes, I want you to bear down with everything you have, okay?" Kagome coached Rin as she panted, red-faced and clearly in pain… Giving birth.

Twenty six hours of labor and two hours of hard pushing later and Rin and the pup were resting comfortably.

Sesshoumaru, who had wisely left the hut for awhile, re-entered to see a peaceful looking Rin nursing a small inuhanyou pup… though he appeared more demon than human.

"Feeling better?" He asked cautiously, not daring to approach within striking distance.

"Yeah… I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier." Rin glanced sheepishly to the side, feeling guilty at how openly she'd cursed her Lord while in the thorough of labor pains, "I didn't mean those things, y'know."

"I know." He nodded, hedging closer and coming to his knees beside her, looking over her shoulder at his son.

"Would you like to hold him?" Rin offered, and Sesshoumaru hesitantly reached forward, clearly less confident than he usually would be in his motions.

_This arm, was only made to hold a sword…_

Such complete and utter idiocy, spouted less than a decade previous. How much this tiny, delicate, and utterly lovely young woman had changed him.

"Rin…" Perhaps this was not the time, but… He did not want to wait any longer.

He'd held off, not wishing her to think he was only asking because she was pregnant… But now, holding his offspring and looking down at Rin's gentle smile… He wanted so desperately for her to… for all of them to be not only pack, but a _family_.

"Rin… Would you… become _mate_ to This Sesshoumaru?"

Rin's eyes went wide, "Sesshoumaru-sama… You don't have to…"

Rin had been perfectly content to leave her status in question. It didn't matter to _her_ what her 'official' status was… Who cared to be called as a princess when one lived alone in a modest home, cloaked by a barrier in the middle of a forest?

There was no one there to call her a 'whore', or her unborn child a 'bastard'.

He leaned down, kissing her forehead softly, "I want to."

Rin lowered her eyes, considering his request. It would complicate things. It would make his life hard, _her_ life hard, and… But when she looked back up into golden eyes, filled with a tender _vulnerability_ she'd never seen in them before… She couldn't refuse him.

"Rin would be honored, My Lord." The young mother dipped her head in a small bow.

His small, smug grin was devastatingly beautiful and Rin couldn't help to answer with her own beatific smile.

He grabbed her face, kissed her wildly and then exited the hut walking tall and proud.

Five years later

"Okaa-sama?"

"Yes, Shiro-chan?"

"Is that you and Otou-sama?"

Rin looked up to the scroll on the wall… A beautiful charcoal drawing, done by her own hand, of her and her Lord Husband, locked in a kiss.

"Yes, it is."

"It's a pwetty pit-sher."

Sesshoumaru walked in, silently approaching, only to make Rin squeak in surprise when he wrapped an arm around Rin's belly, swollen with their second child

"It is… a beautiful image."


End file.
